Six Years and Counting

Yep, six years ago this month I started this little blog in order to feel a part of a quilting community. It has been an incredible adventure, making friends with quilters from across the country and around the world. It has definitely exceeded my expectations. So as many turn from blogs to the less time-consuming forms of social media, I will continue to plod along here.

Having not posted for a couple of weeks, you might expect that I have had time to accomplish a great many things. You would be wrong. 

I made that cute little Dresden pincushion in front of the basket bowl fillers. This is from the Temecula Pincushion Parade Christmas Dresden kit Randy sent to me (I can't find it on their website, or I would link you to it). Obviously I switched out the Christmas Fabrics. I wanted to do something Spring-ish.


This was such fun to make. The technique is not exclusive to this pattern, but it is more interesting to see it play out in this small size. The acrylic template is only 1 5/8" high, so the little tumbler shapes you start with are tiny.

You fold them all so that right sides are together, and stitch a seam along the wide end.




Trim the seam and turn them right side out, which creates the pointed blade. Line up the seam with the fold, as shown in the photo.



Then you stitch the blades together, matching the outer corners, rather than the inner ones.
 

When the plate is formed, pin it to the background square, which has been folded and creased in fourths to aid in centering the plate. 










You applique it to the background and stitch a circle over the center. 








Since my applique skills are next to non-existent, and circles scare the daylights out of me, I used wool applique for the center. Now I want to make a little quilt of these blocks.
 
The pattern is for a pillow-style pincushion, but, of course, I made mine into a box-style using the instructions in my "Tuffet tutorial" found in the tabs under my header photo. One of these days I am going to update that tutorial to share how I get my smoothest finish when stitching the pincushion closed after filling it.

The only other thing I have to show after two weeks is my little purple TATW that is now quilted and bound.

I thank you all for you kindness, comments, and friendship over the years. For sticking with me I want to give you a chance to receive this bundle. Please don't publicize this--it is for those of you who are already following along.
 
I like to share things that I would like to receive. There is a book of fun small quilts from the Country Threads ladies, a charm pack of beautiful Betsy Chutchian fabrics, a few bars of my herbal soap, the Dresden pincushion I just made,  and a snazzy, new-fangled pair of thread snips .

If you are interested, just leave a comment. And thanks for joining me in this quilting/blogging journey!

Until next time,
Janet O.

Drawing Now Closed